When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

Friday, September 21, 2012

News
Preservation Hall West at The Chapel, New Mission Music Venue, Announces Opening Concerts

It's going to be the West Coast home of New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band, as well as a new, mid-sized live music venue and restaurant in the center of the Mission. And it's called Preservation Hall West at The Chapel or, when the jazz band isn't in residence, simply the Chapel.

Despite its name and status as the West Coast home for the Preservation Hall band -- which will come out for three to four residencies per year -- owners say the club plans to have an open booking policy. Its next show after the first weekend is Brooklyn folk-rockers Woods, L.A. garage-psych staple White Fence, and the weird local folk of Magic Trick on Oct. 17. While the opening weekend shows range in price from $30 to $150, tickets to the Woods show are $15 each.

The building is a converted mortuary built in 1914, according to Tracey Buck, a spokesperson for club owner and local restaurateur Jack Knowles. And the club is named, of course, after the mortuary's chapel -- whose 40-foot ceilings have been renovated to become the live music room. There will also be a "casual grill" and a restaurant with an outdoor patio, but it will initially be serving light bar fare, with a full dinner menu from chef Matt Colgan to arrive in early 2013.

The place is a joint project of Knowles and Ben Jaffe, creative director for the Preservation Hall in New Orleans. Buck says the owners aren't sure yet of the exact capacity, but expect it to be several hundred.

"We believe the Mission is now to San Francisco what North Beach and the Haight have been to the city's cultural history," Knowles says in a statement. "We want 777 Valencia to become part of the heart and soul of the Mission neighborhood."

As for why the Preservation Hall Band chose S.F. instead of, say, another, larger California city as its West Coast home?

"The connections between San Francisco and New Orleans are evident: we are two of the most unique cities in the world and we share so much in common, it felt like the next obvious evolution for Preservation Hall," Jaffe says in the statement.

As several local blogs have noted, the project appears to need a considerable amount of work before renovations are complete. Buck acknowledged this, but said she's confident the place will be ready to host the Preservation Hall band in about two weeks.

"I think they're going to be pleasantly surprised on Oct. 4 when the doors open," she says.

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Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"